BELFAST CITY COUNCIL SUMMONS TO ATTEND THE MONTHLY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL TO: THE LORD MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF BELFAST CITY COUNCIL Notice is hereby given that the monthly meeting of the Council will be held in the Council Chamber, City Hall, Belfast on Monday, 4th December, 2017 at 6.00 pm., for the transaction of the following business: 1. Summons 2. Apologies 3. Declarations of Interest 4. Minutes of Council Meeting of 1st November, 2017 (Pages 1 - 8) 5. Request to Address the Council (To consider a request from a representative of Unite the Union to address the Council in relation to the motion being proposed by Councillor Heading on Bombardier) 6. Official Announcements 7. Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 24th November, 2017 (Pages 9 – 72) 8. People and Communities Committee of 7th and 13th November, 2017 (Pages 73 - 108) 9. City Growth and Regeneration Committee of 8th and 21st November, 2017 (Pages 109 - 144) 10. Licensing Committee of 9th November, 2017 (Pages 145 - 148) 11. Planning Committee of 14th November, 2017 (Pages 149 - 158) 12. Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Limited Shareholders' Committee of 6th November, 2017 (Pages 159 - 162) 13. Notices of Motion a) Belfast's Historic Environment Proposed by Councillor McAteer, Seconded by Councillor Campbell, “Belfast boasts a rich historic environment that is both distinctive and irreplaceable. The continued care and conservation of these unique assets and their re-use as part of the heritage-led regeneration of Belfast will not only recognise the intrinsic value of the City’s historic built environment but also ensure that these invaluable assets will significantly contribute to prosperity, culture, pride of place, tourist income generation and a general sense of health and wellbeing. This Council will encourage imaginative and creative approaches to Belfast’s conservation and heritage assets to ensure that they are protected, re- purposed and developed as an important driver for sustainable economic development and job creation, the provision of much needed housing, community and cultural animation and the creation of environments and public spaces that citizens and visitors alike can enjoy. This Council will work to inform, shape and embed imaginative and creative approaches to Belfast’s conservation and heritage assets in the outworking of the Belfast Agenda, the Local Development Plan, the European Capital of Culture, Belfast City Deal and the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018.” (To be referred, without discussion, to the City Growth and Regeneration Committee) b) Not-For-Profit Energy Company Proposed by Councillor Attwood, Seconded by Councillor Milne, “This Council notes that the Scottish Government and a number of local authorities have established not-for-profit energy firms in search of new revenue, to restore faith in public services and tackle fuel poverty. The Council notes that the first and best-known publicly owned energy companies, Robin Hood Energy in Nottingham and Bristol Energy, have given consumers, particularly those on low incomes, more choice and the option of a supplier whose only job is to secure the lowest price for consumers. The Council agrees to explore the potential benefits of establishing a Belfast City Council owned not-for-profit energy company to tackle fuel poverty in Belfast.” (To be referred, without discussion, to the People and Communities Committee) c) Bombardier Proposed by Councillor Heading, Seconded by Councillor Lyons, “This Council recognises the vital significance of Bombardier Aerospace, formerly Shorts, for the Northern Ireland economy, with four thousand three hundred workers directly employed and a further twenty thousand employed indirectly in the supply chain or through induced economic activity. The Council express its profound concern at the threat posed to these jobs by the recent protectionist judgements by the US International Trade Commission which effectively placed a 300% surcharge on the C Series aircraft in an attempt to close the US market. The Council expresses its full solidarity with the workforce and company at this time of trial and agrees to write directly to the Prime Minister, Theresa May MP to request that the government make it known to Boeing that if they do not withdraw their case then they will be excluding themselves from UK procurement opportunities both current and future. The Council also agrees to write to the European Trade Commissioner to request an immediate escalation through existing trade disputes mechanisms.” (To be debated by the Council) d) Homelessness Proposed by Councillor McCusker, Seconded by Councillor O’Neill, “This Council notes the concerns around the lack of suitable provision for families and individuals who present as homeless, requiring temporary accommodation. With an increase of 32% in the number of people presenting as homeless in the past five years and a recent report that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) strategy at reducing homelessness has had limited success, the Council calls on NIHE to undertake an urgent review of the current provision. The Council also notes that we still have rough sleepers in the city and calls on all organisations, including the Council and NIHE, to meet urgently to ensure their needs are being met as the weather conditions continue to decline.” (To be referred, without discussion, to the People and Communities Committee) e) Education Support Proposed by Councillor Bell, Seconded by Councillor O’Hara, "This Council notes the continued Tory led cuts to the Department of Education's budget and the resulting devastating impact on the Education Authorities, schools and youth providers. Schools, youth providers, children, parents and the wider community are now at breaking point with continuing threats to services. The Council strongly opposes these cuts. The Council also notes the work being carried out by the various Partnership Boards and schools across Belfast to improve standards of literacy and numeracy amongst our young people, particularly those living in areas of high social deprivation. The Council commends the Partnership Boards and schools for their successes to date in improving standards of literacy and numeracy, especially at GCSE level, through their various Easter schools, mid-term schools, community based classes and efforts outside of the classroom. It should be noted that the Council itself also provides educational support through homework clubs (for 5-11 years old) and parent and toddler groups. For these reasons, this Council agrees to task Council officers to investigate ways in which it can contribute to the continued improvement and academic achievement in literacy and numeracy within local communities and will look at how it can help to overcome various barriers to learning at post primary level." (To be referred, without discussion, to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee) f) Amendment to Standing Order 30 Proposed by Councillor O’Hara, Seconded by Councillor Beattie, “This Council agrees that 'Standing order 30: “A Member shall not impute motives or use offensive expression in reference to any Member of the Council” be amended to read: “A Member shall not impute motives or use offensive expression in reference to any persons or sections of society, that shows contempt on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious belief, age or disability”. (To be referred, without discussion, to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee) g) Support for Positive Life HIV Charity Proposed by Councillor Nicholl, Seconded by Councillor McDonough-Brown, “This Council notes the increasing number of people diagnosed with HIV in Belfast year on year; is concerned at the levels of stigma experienced by people living with HIV; acknowledges the need for a new campaign to promote awareness and prevention, specifically tailored to Northern Ireland and the City of Belfast; commends the work of Belfast based, Positive Life, Northern Ireland's only dedicated charity working to support people diagnosed with HIV; and agrees to support this organisation in the development of a centre of excellence at its new headquarters.” (To be referred, without discussion, to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee) h) Progressive Taxation System Proposed by Councillor Collins, Seconded by Councillor Milne, “This Council notes the recent revelations surrounding the ‘Paradise papers’, which exposed the extent to which some of the richest sections of society continue to avoid paying taxes. The Council is outraged at this practice and views it as economic injustice. Moreover, the Council is deeply concerned with plans to lower corporation tax as indicated in the Fresh Start Agreement. The Council is opposed to any future plans to lower the rate of corporation tax in the North, and instead calls for a more progressive taxation system which would better fund public services.” (To be debated by the Council) The Members of Belfast City Council are hereby summoned to attend. Chief Executive Council MONTHLY MEETING OF BELFAST CITY COUNCIL Held in the City Hall on Wednesday, 1st November, 2017 at 6.00 o’clock p.m., pursuant to notice. Members present: The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor McAllister) (Chairperson); the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Copeland); the High Sheriff (Alderman Haire); Aldermen Browne, Convery, Kingston, McCoubrey, McGimpsey, McKee, L. Patterson, Rodgers, Sandford and Spence; and Councillors Armitage, Attwood,